This application relates generally to communication systems, and, more particularly, to alert messages, such as emergency alert messages, broadcast and provided to user equipment such as mobile devices.
Since the enactment of the Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act (WARN Act) in 2006 by the United States government, it has become important for mobile service providers, especially mobile carriers in the United States, to support emergency message broadcast/alert to mobile users. The WARN Act sought, in part, the establishment of a voluntary National Alert System to provide a public communications system capable of alerting the public to emergency situations on a national, regional, or local basis and set forth system functions and capabilities, including: (1) enabling appropriately credentialed government officials to alert the public to imminent threats that present a significant risk of injury or death; and (2) incorporating multiple communications technologies without interfering with existing alerts or communications systems employed by emergency response personnel. The WARN Act also directed the initiation of proceedings to: (1) allow licensees providing commercial mobile service to elect to transmit system alerts to mobile subscribers; and (2) require public broadcast television licensees to install necessary equipment to enable transmitters to receive and retransmit system alerts.
The WARN Act has led to the development of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), formerly known as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) and also known as Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN), which is an alerting network in the United States designed to disseminate emergency alerts to network user equipment such as mobile devices, cell phones, and pagers operating on variety of network technologies. Some European countries have also implemented similar requirements for mobile operators operating in their nations, resulting in the deployment of alerting systems equivalent to those deployed in the United States.
As emergency message broadcast/alert has matured as a service, the desire to utilize such service has also expanded to the delivery of commercial advertisement. Cell Broadcasting Center (CBC) network equipment, such as the Alcatel-Lucent Broadcasting Message Center (BMC), which fulfills emergency and alerting needs and desires (i.e., functionality) has been deployed in many markets and by many service providers (AT&T, VZ, Sprint, etc.).